Brain Drain is the 11th studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones. It was released on March 23, 1989, through Sire Records.[1] It is the last release to feature bass player Dee Dee Ramone, the first release to feature Marky Ramone since his departure after Subterranean Jungle, and the last studio album on Sire Records.
About the making of the album, Dee Dee wrote in his autobiography, Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones:
- It was tough recording the Brain Drain album because everyone took their shit out on me. I dreaded being around them. It drove me away — I didn't even end up playing on the album. Everybody in the band had problems; girlfriend problems, money problems, mental problems.
Contents[]
Songs[edit][]
"Palisades Park" is a cover song, originally recorded by Freddy Cannon in 1962.
"I Believe in Miracles" was covered by Eddie Vedder and Zeke for the We're a Happy Family—A Tribute to the Ramones album and is frequently covered byPearl Jam at their shows.
It contains the single "Pet Sematary", written for the Stephen King movie adaptation of the same name. The single became one of the Ramones' biggest radio hits, and a staple in their concerts during the 1990s.[3]
"Pet Sematary" was covered by German industrial metal band Rammstein as a B-side to their single Ich will in 2001. The song is performed live withClawfinger. It was also performed by the Plain White T's for Frankenweenie (Unleashed). The song was later covered by a psychobilly band, The Creepshow, as a bonus track for their second album, Run For Your Life, in 2008.
In the music videos for "Pet Sematary", Dee Dee Ramone played the bass but in "I Believe In Miracles" & "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)", C. J. Ramone replaced Dee Dee's position as a bassist.
Track listing[edit][]
Side one | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length | |||||||
1. | "I Believe in Miracles" | Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey | 3:19 | |||||||
2. | "Zero Zero UFO" | Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey | 2:25 | |||||||
3. | "Don't Bust My Chops" | Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Daniel Rey | 2:28 | |||||||
4. | "Punishment Fits the Crime" | Dee Dee Ramone, Richie Stotts | 3:05 | |||||||
5. | "All Screwed Up" | Joey Ramone, Andy Shernoff, Marky Ramone, Daniel Rey | 3:59 | |||||||
6. | "Palisades Park" | Charles Barris | 2:22 |
Side two | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length | |||||||
7. | "Pet Sematary" | Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey | 3:30 | |||||||
8. | "Learn to Listen" | Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Marky Ramone, Daniel Rey | 1:50 | |||||||
9. | "Can't Get You Outta My Mind" | Joey Ramone | 3:21 | |||||||
10. | "Ignorance Is Bliss" | Joey Ramone, Andy Shernoff | 2:38 | |||||||
11. | "Come Back, Baby" | Joey Ramone | 4:01 | |||||||
12. | "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" | Joey Ramone | 2:04 |
Captain Oi! reissue CD bonus track | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length | |||||||
13. | "Pet Sematary (Bill Laswell Version)" | Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey | 3:35 |
Personnel[edit][]
- Joey Ramone - lead vocals
- Johnny Ramone - lead guitar
- Dee Dee Ramone - bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Punishment Fits the Crime", synthesizer
- Marky Ramone - drums
Production[edit][]
- Jean Beauvoir - producer
- Bill Laswell - producer
- Daniel Rey - producer, musical coordinator
- Gary "Muddbone" Cooper - production assistant
- Mark Sidgwick - production assistant
- Nicky Skopelitis - production assistant
- Kim White - production assistant
- Robert Musso - engineer, mixing
- Martin Bisi - assistant engineer
- Oz Fritz - assistant engineer
- Judy Kirschner - assistant engineer
- Robbie Norris - assistant engineer
- Jason Corsaro - mixing
- Howard Weinberg - mastering
- George DuBose - artwork, coordination
- Matt Mahurin - artwork
Charts[edit][]
Album - Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1989 | The Billboard 200 | 122[4] |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | "Pet Sematary" | Modern Rock Tracks | 4[5] |